Klaipeda University Lithuanian Institute of History

KLAIPEDA UNIVERSITY LITHUANIAN INSTITUTE OF HISTORY Paulius BUGYS ARMOUR IN THE GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 13 TH – 1ST HALF OF THE 16 TH CENTURY (ON THE BASIS ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA) Summary of doctoral dissertation Humanities, History (05 H) Vilnius 2014 Doctoral dissertation was prepared at Klaipeda University in 2009- 2013 Scientific supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gintautas ZABIELA (Klaipeda University, humanities, history – 05 H) The defence of dissertation takes place at the Council of Historical Studies of Klaipeda University and the Lithuanian Institute of History Chairman: Prof. Dr. Albinas KUNCEVI ČIUS (Vilnius University, humanities, history – 05 H) Members: Dr. Ernestas VASILIAUSKAS (Klaipeda University, humanities, history – 05 H) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mindaugas BERTAŠIUS (Kaunas University of Technology, humanities, history – 05 H) Dr. Vykintas VAITKEVI ČIUS (Klaipeda University, humanities, history – 05 H) Prof. Dr. Rimvydas PETRAUSKAS (Vilnius University, humanities, history – 05 H) Opponents: Prof. Dr. Valdas RAKUTIS (The General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, humanities, history – 05) Dr. Gintautas RACKEVI ČIUS (UAB „Kult ūros vertybi ų paieška, humanities, history – 05 H) The defence of dissertation will be held at the public session of the Council of Historical Studies at 13 p.m. on November 7, 2014, in the Aula Hall (Block 6) of the University of Klaipeda. Address: Herkaus Manto Street 84, 92294, Klaip ėda, Lithuania. The Summary of doctoral dissertation is sent out on October , 2014. The dissertation is publicly available at the libraries of the University of Klaipeda and the Lithuanian Institute of History KLAIP ĖDOS UNIVERSITETAS LIETUVOS ISTORIJOS INSTITUTAS Paulius BUGYS ŠARVUOT Ė LIETUVOS DIDŽIOJOJE KUNIGAIKŠTYST ĖJE XIII A. ANTROJE PUS ĖJE-XVI A. VIDURYJE (ARCHEOLOGIJOS DUOMENIMIS) Daktaro disertacijos santrauka Humanitariniai mokslai, istorija (05 H) Vilnius 2014 Disertacija rengta 2009-2013 metais Klaip ėdos Universitete Mokslinis vadovas: doc. dr. Gintautas ZABIELA (Klaip ėdos Universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) Disertacija ginama Klaip ėdos universiteto Istorijos mokslo krypties taryboje: Pirmininkas: prof. dr. Albinas KUNCEVI ČIUS (Vilniaus universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) Nariai: dr. Ernestas VASILIAUSKAS (Klaip ėdos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) doc. dr. Mindaugas BERTAŠIUS (Kauno technologijos universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) dr. Vykintas VAITKEVI ČIUS (Klaip ėdos Universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) prof. Dr. Rimvydas PETRAUSKAS (Vilniaus Universitetas, humanitariniai mokslai – 05 H) Oponentai: prof. dr. Valdas RAKUTIS (Generolo Jono Žemai čio Lietuvos karo akademija, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) dr. Gintautas RACKEVI ČIUS (UAB „Kult ūros vertybi ų paieška“, humanitariniai mokslai, istorija – 05 H) Disertacija bus ginama viešame Istorijos mokslo krypties tarybos pos ėdyje 2014 m. lapkri čio 7 d. 13 val. Klaip ėdos universiteto Auloje (VI korpusas). Adresas: Herkaus Manto g. 84, 92294 Klaip ėda, Lietuva. Disertacijos santrauka išsiuntin ėta 2014 m. spalio d. Disertacij ą galima perži ūrėti Klaip ėdos universiteto ir Lietuvos istorijos instituto bibliotekose. ENGLISH SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Introduction Wars and conflicts have played a key role in the history of the world and individual nations throughout the ages. From the outset of its history, mankind incessantly got involved in various conflicts which often would evolve into wars entailing heavy casualties. Winning conflicts, major or smaller, required not only certain warfare skills but also increasingly elaborate weapons and protective means against them. Armour developed alongside with the changes and advances in warfare tactics and weaponry. The developments of military strategy, tactics, weaponry and armour are, in particular, closely interconnected. With emergence of the schools of research of weapons and armour at the end of the 19 th century in Western Europe, military history has been increasingly aug- mented with the sources reflecting material culture of warfare. A com- prehensive analysis of weapons and armour has facilitated solving nu- merous questions of both warfare and general history which, up to date, have remained without answer. The mid-13 th century represents a significant time in the history of Lithuania. At that period, a single ruler consolidates his power; the state is established and subsequently recognized in Europe by his efforts. Furthermore, Lithuania becomes a kingdom with a full-fledged king, Mindaugas. The origins of the statehood were undoubtedly related to the emergence of military power of a single ruler and the formation of pro- fessional troops. Regretfully, the Kingdom of Lithuania had a very short- lived existence. With the assassination of Mindaugas a brief period of expansion of a new official state religion in Lithuania came to an end. Christianity did not take deeper roots neither among commoners nor even among the ruling elite during a short period. Archaeological evi- dence does not show any changes neither in burial grounds nor in cul- tural layers of settlements. Survival of the pagan funeral rites in the medieval state has a tremendous advantage for archaeology which helps to better reveal patterns of material culture and social stratification of the 1 population. A rapid abandonment of the old customs is not typical for the new Christian communities, which had been converted by efforts of the state. Thus, even after 1387, the practice of cremation of the dead being in decline, the deceased would be buried with rich grave goods for a rather long time yet. Such situation bodes well to expect location of graves that belonged to military community which might contain parts and fragments of armour. Unfortunately, the practice of cremation of the dead diminishes such probability. Turning back to the specifics of the period, it must be noted that from ca. the mid-13 th century the chain mail, prevalent up to that point in time, was being successively replaced (or supplemented) by the coat of plates. Therefore the probability of locating archeologically the coat of plates is enhanced from around the mid-13 th century. Relevance of the work : The state of Lithuania successfully enter- ing the third decade of its independence regained, there is a natural interest among general public in the past of its country which is inconceivable without the centuries-long struggles and wars. The emergence of the Lithuanian state is closely linked to the onset of a large military threat as well as the rise of its own military aristocracy, military expeditions and marauding inroads into the adjacent lands. It is impossible to envisage the whole ensuing history of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania without incessant fighting with hostile neighbours or expansionist campaigns of the rulers which were, as often as not, attended by larger or smaller battles. When exploring the warfare history of the medieval Lithuania, a rather dim image of a Lithuanian warrior often comes to mind. From sufficiently ample and detailed accounts of the Lithuanian historians one may form a perfect picture of what kind of enemy he had to face and the long-distance expeditions he had to endure. Amid intensive fighting with crusaders in the western part of the country and, at the same time, pursuing eastward expansion, the rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and, in particular, their fighters had to cope with a paramount task. Keeping in mind the fact that on the western border military expeditions and incursions to Lithuania were usually prepared by some of the best European warriors, and in the East there was an enemy using a totally different combat tactics, which had been tested in successful battles, the image of a warrior of the Grand 2 Duchy of Lithuania poses a great deal of questions. Therefore, leaving the research of the patterns of military strategy and tactics to military historians, it is infinitely interesting to have a look at some items of material culture that show the quality and daily life of soldiers and, specifically, at the armour, one of the elements of military equipment. With the passage of time, the medieval warfare of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania is becom- ing more than an object of research involving historians and archaeologists only. Soldiers of the Guard of Honour Company of the Lithuanian Army proudly don the medieval weapons and armour. The today armed forces of Lithuania, being descendants and successors to the military tradi- tions of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, demonstrate the garments and arms, reminiscent of the pinnacle of Lithuanian might (the late 14 th century), to foreign visitors and the Lithuanian public. These trends induce searches for ever more archaeological finds and related scientific records reflecting the armour of the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. A great deal of armour artefacts have been collected over the last 25 years owing to the Lithuanian archaeologists. The larger part of the data has been acquired while intensively excavating the territory of the Lower Castle in Vilnius, and finds at the new archaeological sites had a lot of surprises in store. One may not discard the probability that a part of unidentified elements of the armour lies in the repositories of Lithuanian museums amidst a wealth of archaeological materials, which ought to be examined additionally. The available archaeological

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